Welcome to another episode of On the Up, Moneypenny’s podcast dedicated to uncovering growth, innovation, and the strategies that drive business success.
In this episode, Dan Marshall sits down with Simon Hilton, Head of New Business, and Paul Mundy, Business Development Manager, from Spica Technology to discuss how workplace technology is transforming office environments and enhancing employee experiences.
The workplace has changed dramatically in recent years, especially since the pandemic accelerated the adoption of hybrid working models. In this podcast episode, Simon and Paul share how Spica’s workplace experience app and platform helps organisations create seamless interactions between employees and their work environment.
The conversation takes us from Simon and Paul’s experiences helping organisations navigate the post-pandemic workplace landscape to practical examples of how the right technology can transform everyday frustrations into opportunities for better experiences. They even share a memorable story about how simple tech solutions helped one client avoid an unnecessary investment in additional phone booths!
If you work on workplace strategy, want to learn how technology can improve employee experiences, or are just curious about what the future of work looks like, this episode offers great ideas for building better, more adaptable, and people-focused workplaces.
Simon and Paul stress that the key to good workplace technology is to first figure out the problems that need solving, rather than just using technology for the sake of it. Simon explains, “The first thing is to focus on what problem we are trying to solve. So forget about the tech.” This careful method makes sure that technology actually improves the work environment instead of making things more complicated.
With hybrid working firmly established—or as Simon colourfully describes it, “that genie was let out of the bottle, and it’s never going back”—workplaces need to be more adaptable than ever. Technology can enable this flexibility by helping organisations quickly adjust to changing needs and gather data on how spaces are actually being used, allowing for more informed decisions about real estate optimisation.
According to a McKinsey report mentioned by Simon, an astonishing 70% of digital transformation projects fail due to poor user adoption. The team highlights the importance of involving employees in the process through discovery workshops and gathering feedback to ensure technology meets their actual needs rather than just addressing high-level strategic objectives.
Both guests emphasise that data is essential throughout the technology implementation process: identifying problems, choosing solutions, and measuring success. With reliable occupancy data, organisations can make evidence-based decisions rather than relying on anecdotes or assumptions about how spaces are used, transforming workplace management from an art to a science.
Even though AI is a hot topic in the industry, the Spica team believes in taking a careful approach. They warn about “AI-washing,” which is when simple algorithms are falsely advertised as AI, similar to how “greenwashing” misrepresents eco-friendly practices. They stress that AI should meet actual needs and respect privacy issues. As Simon points out, Spica has decided to slow down to make sure they provide true AI solutions that really make a difference.
We’re excited to launch a brand new segment in our podcast – the On the Up Book Club! At the end of each episode, we’ll be asking our guests to share their favourite business book recommendations, creating a valuable resource of inspiring reads recommended by innovative business leaders.
Simon recommends “Un-Working: Reinventing the Modern Workplace” by Jeremy Myerson and Philip Ross, which explores creating flexible, human-centric workplaces designed for purpose in the post-Covid era.
Paul suggests “Human Centric Workplace” by Simone Fenton-Jarvis, which focuses on understanding what people need in the workplace and addressing the challenges of having five different generations working together.
Listen now to the full episode with Simon Hilton and Paul Mundy as they reveal the keys to successful workplace tech implementation and share insights from their experiences working with leading organisations.
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